Dr. J Interview

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The Doctor makes a house call to IGN Sports.

By Victor Kelly

Two kids are standing outside of the EA Sports NBA Street session in Atlanta for the 2003 NBA All-Star weekend having a conversation about who has game and who had game. As the line grows longer to try out the new game, the two kids wonder if Dr. Julius Erving could do the Statue Liberty slam from the free throw line like Michael Jordan.

Well, if you don't know then it is best to ask the question. I thought about that question and asked the great Dr. J if he could still do the slam from the free throw line. Shocked by the question, Doc said, "of course, haven't you seen this game."

He is one of the 50 greatest NBA players to ever lace up a pair of kicks and a true playground legend. Dr. J was the original Superman on the basketball court.

Before everyone wanted to be like Jordan, Air Canada, T-Mac and The Matrix, they wanted to soar through the air like the Doctor. This playground legend and NBA Hall of Fame hoop star used to show off his crazy mad skills in the off-season at the legendary Rucker league in New York. Today, the Doctor is still making house calls and dropping some serious street knowledge about the game.

Dr. J took time out for a little one-on-one with IGN Sports to talk about EA Sports' NBA Street, the state of the NBA today and where it is heading.

IGN Sports: Are you surprised how far video games have grown over the years?

Dr. J: I think NBA games has evolved with the times. It has been at the forefront in terms of authenticity and in terms of excitement. It is pure clean fun and competition at its best. I like the way it has blended reality and surrealism. It is a fantasy in our own time. I think it is great when I see some of my co-hort on the game doing some of the things that we could only dream of doing, but it is being done.

IGN Sports: Have you ever done any of those moves from NBA Street playing a pick up game or could you imagine yourself pulling some of those moves off back then?

Dr. J: The ball handling stuff, we could do that. The air-bourn triple pump, bring it down, bring it back up and stuff, no. The double pump, I could do. But you are talking about a lot of airtime with these moves. We would need some kind of jet fuel or something tied to our legs; but hey, it is a fantasy, so it's good.

Dr. J: I have about five or six different games, so I play these video games about six or eight times a year. I am still trying to get a feel for some of the games. I like NBA Street, but I am still trying to get some of the kinks out. I may have started too late to try to master it. I have a grandson who loves to play this game with me, so I let him win.

IGN Sports: Many people are questioning the current state of the NBA, what seems to be the message the players are forgetting?

Dr. J: Players today need to know that it all counts. Each time you step on the court, every time you are away from the court and each time you do an interview, all those things you do count. They need to be held accountable regarding that and they have to be a man about it. People are going to make mistakes, but you have to recognize that when you are a professional you owe it to yourself to try to be at your best. You can't go out there and dog it on the court. Players have to remember that you can't dismiss the responsibility that is associated with being a role model, a star or just a member of an organization. This is a high power machine we are talking about and the drivers are the players. They have to recognize that being one of the drivers you have to always be on your game.